Return to the Barbaric World
by Luiz4200
Summary: After a couple years in America, Harry Potter thought he'd never have to return to England. He was wrong. Sequel to "Barbaric World".
1. The Visit

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any character from the books or the movies.**

**Return to the Barbaric World**

**Chapter 1: The Visit**

Harry Potter and Sirius Black were being driven to the local airport in a limousine. "Are you excited, Prongslet?" Sirius asked with a little excitation.

"I sure am, Sirius." Harry answered. "I haven't seen my cousin ever since we escaped England and the people who kept you in prison for almost ten years before you were allowed a trial."

"And Dudley couldn't have picked a better summer to come." Sirius commented. "America's hosting the Quidditch World Cup!"

"I don't think he cares much about Quidditch, Sirius." Harry replied. "He'd rather watch the finals of FIFA World Cup."

"Honestly, I see no fun in sports where people don't fly and there's a set time to end." Sirius said. "Then again, the Statute of Secrecy doesn't let most muggles learn what they're missing. As a muggle with a magical cousin, Dudley can learn about Quidditch."

"Even then he might prefer Football." Harry argued. "I do."

"Harry!" Sirius was mock scandalized. "No child of James Potter can like any sport more then he likes Quidditch."

"And no child of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black can be a Light Wizard." Harry replied.

After a few laughs, Harry and Sirius arrived at the airport and waited for Dudley's plane to arrive. "Care for some soda, Prongslet?" Sirius asked.

"Thanks, Sirius." Harry replied. After he finished a soda can, he and Sirius heard the following announcement: "Flight 103 from London, England arriving at gate 48. Repeating: flight 103 from London, England arriving at gate 48". Harry and Sirius went to that gate to wait for Dudley. They didn't have to wait for much time. "Harry!"

"Dudley!"

"You had a growth spurt, cousin!" Dudley commented.

"And you seem to have lost some weight, Dudley." Harry commented in reply.

"The school nurse at Smeltings recommended me some exercises and I took upon boxing." Dudley explained.

"Are you boxing your food, Dudley?" Sirius asked in mockery. "I don't think there are enough boxes in the world."

After that funny (on Sirius' opinion at least) joke, they went back to Sirius' home. "Ready to watch your first Quidditch World Cup Finals, Dudley?" Sirius excitedly asked.

"Actually, I'm more interested in seeing who wins the FIFA World Cup this time." Dudley replied, prompting Harry to whisper _'told you'_. "I believe Brazil will win. Mum says Italy. Dad's too upset about England being out to care about who wins."

"I bet Football will be completely out of your mind once you watch an exciting Quidditch game." Sirius dared.

"But how will Dudley be able to watch the game?" Harry asked. "Won't the place be warded with a muggle-repellant?"

"The magical government can provide Dudley with a locket that'll protect him from muggle repellants, Prongslet." Sirius explained.

A few weeks later, the three of them were at Quidditch grounds fixing their tent. "Uncle Sirius, I must admit, this tailgating is better than what I expected from muggle games."

"Tail… what?" Sirius asked in confusion.

"It's how muggles call the spectators' gathering from before the games." Harry explained.

"Fancy seeing you here, Sirius." They heard someone commenting. It was Albus Dumbledore.

"Are you also here for the Quidditch or you missed us, Headmaster?" Sirius asked in amusement.

"Both, actually, Sirius." Dumbledore replied. "After all those years, I expect you already let enough go of your anger to return to England or at least send Harry back to Hogwarts."

"Harry already has friends in America and I can't just force him away from that." Sirius explained.

"Sirius, we need Harry to fulfill the prophecy and defeat Voldemort for good." Dumbledore pleaded.

"That stupid prophecy is only important because Voldemort took it seriously." Sirius argued. "You should be less focused on getting Harry back and more focused on preventing Voldemort from returning to full power. Now, if you don't mind, my godson, his cousin and I have a Quidditch game to watch.

**Please review.**


	2. The Fourth Year Begins

**Chapter 2: The Fourth Year Begins**

Albus Dumbledore had just returned to Hogwarts after his trip to America when he was greeted by his Deputy Headmistress. "Welcome home, Albus." Professor McGonagall said. "I see your trip was better than expected. Your mood exceeds usual expectations."

"Indeed, Minerva." Dumbledore happily replied. "I met Harry."

"Will Mr. Potter transfer back to Hogwarts, Headmaster?" Professor McGonagall asked in expectation.

"Not yet, Minerva." Dumbledore said with some sadness. "However, I found out he keeps in touch with his cousin. I believe that, in order to protect Dudley, he might want to return and fulfill the prophecy once Voldemort returns. For now, let's prepare for this school term. With or without the Boy-Who-Lived, this will be a special year."

'_You have no idea, Headmaster'._ Thought a Death Eater who somehow managed to infiltrate himself in the castle to implement a plan to restore Voldemort to a full corporeal form.

"I find it quite ironic that Harry Potter might return for the very same reason he left." Professor McGonagall snorted.

"Minerva, do you still blame the Dursleys for Harry leaving Hogwarts?" Albus was astonished.

"They were the ones who indoctrinated Harry Potter into fearing our nation, Albus." She explained.

"They were just afraid Harry would suffer the same injustice Sirius suffered." Albus reassured her. "That Sirius Black was indeed victim of an injustice and we failed to notice it for practically a whole decade just shows how right they were."

"We'd never…" Minerva tried to say.

"Harry can't be sure of that, Minerva." Dumbledore sadly replied.

For the next few months, Harry Potter was once again being just a regular (foreign) student receiving his magical education in America when he was suddenly called into the Principal's office. "Is this serious?" He asked the hall monitor guiding him to the office.

"I'm afraid so, Potter." The monitor replied. "Your Godfather was called as well."

Harry resisted the urge to laugh at the unintentional pun and then entered the office. "Harry, I'm so sorry for you!" Sirius sadly exclaimed while trying to hold his tears.

"Sorry for what, Uncle Sirius?"

"Harry Potter, what do you know about the Triwizard Tournament?" The Principal asked.

"Well, Sir, I know it's a tournament held among Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang." Harry answered. "It was discontinued a few centuries ago because of the high death rates but it was recently reinstated and a new rule was added to prevent underage wizards and witches from entering. A magical goblet known as the Goblet of Fire selects one student from each school to enter the Tournament."

"And your name was selected." The Principal sadly said.

"What?" Harry was shocked. "How can this be? I haven't…" He was then angry. "Dumbledore!"

"Not necessarily, Prongslet." Sirius replied. "Igor Karkaroff, Headmaster of Durmstrang, is a Death Eater who got out of Azkaban by revealing the identities of other Death Eaters and might have done it to get you killed."

"So what?" Harry asked in dismissal. "It's not that I can be forced to compete."

"I'm afraid you can, Mr. Potter." The Principal sadly replied. "The Goblet of Fire is a powerful and binding magical contract. If you refuse, you might lose your magic."

"No big loss." Harry calmly replied to the shock of Sirius and the Principal. "My magic is what binds me to that barbaric nation. Without it, I'll no longer have to worry about spending time in Azkaban for crimes I haven't committed."

"You might lose your life, Prongslet." Sirius pleaded.

Now Harry was depressed. "And I thought I already knew how barbaric the Wizarding World could be."

"You don't know the half of it, Mr. Potter." The Principal explained. "I tried to formalize a complaint to the British Ministry of Magic to get them to investigate the incident and Cornelius Fudge said I was exaggerating with my claims somebody put your name in the Tournament in order to get you killed. He even accused me of stirring panic."

"Fortunately, he wouldn't ignore me." Sirius bragged. "Cornelius Fudge wouldn't dare say no to the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and Acting Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter."

The Principal was disgusted at Magical England's social structure but wouldn't let it show. "Anyway, I've contacted Headmaster Dumbledore over this, Mr. Potter. You will attend classes at Hogwarts and, after the Triwizard Tournament ends, return for your end of the year exams. You'll also take your books for additional studies. Your Godfather already bought books for the Hogwarts curriculum."

After that, Sirius Black and Harry Potter took an International Portkey to Hogsmeade and then took a carriage to Hogwarts. Harry found something odd about the carriage. "Sirius, how does it move without anything pulling it?"

"Actually, Prongslet, the carriage is being pulled by Thestrals." Sirius explained. "You can't see them because they can't be seen by anyone other than those who witnessed death."

After that answer, Harry decided not to speak of this subject any longer. Upon reaching the castle, they were welcomed by the two people within Hogwarts grounds Sirius Black hated the most: Argus Filch, a squib who works as caretaker and used to catch the marauders most of the time; and Severus "Snivellus" Snape, Sirius' former prank target and Hogwarts' current Potions Master. "What are you doing here, Snivy?" Sirius angrily asked.

"As Harry Potter's former Head of House, I was tasked with welcoming him." Snape sneered. "Now let's rush. I have a potion under a stasis charm."

"Not so fast, Sniv." Sirius demanded. "How do I know you're not the one trying to get Harry killed? You used to be a Death Eater back in the old days."

"Good thinking, my lad." A man arrived. That man had several scars on his face, an artificial eye and a prosthetic leg.

"I'm glad you're here, Auror Moody." Sirius commented. "Are you here to arrest Snape?"

"I wish I could." Moody replied with some anger. "There's nothing I hate more than a Death Eater who cheated his way out of Azkaban. Sorry about you wrongfully rotting there, Black."

"Prongslet, this is Alastor Moody." Sirius made introductions. "Moody is the one who gave your father and me Auror training. Practically half of Azkaban inmates were captured by him."

"How many of them are innocents?" Harry asked out of concern for them and disdain for the Wizarding Britain's justice system.

"Lad, I've been at the trials of all Death Eaters I've captured and all of them have been properly proven guilty." Moody explained. "We just erred with your Godfather because the nature of the crimes attributed to him made us too enraged to think straight. It doesn't excuse us, I know."

"Excuse me." Severus Snape intervened. "But I believe Headmaster Dumbledore is expecting for us."

Inside said office, they also met Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, the Heads of the other two schools as well as Bartemius Crouch (Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, who somehow managed to regain the post after losing it once his role in Sirius Black being originally denied a trial came into light); and Ludovic Bagman (Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports). Crouch was feeling awkward with being in the same room as Sirius Black but seemed to have bigger worries.

"How did you do that, little boy?" A woman nearly as tall as the Groundskeeper who guides Hogwarts first-years from the train to the castle (and that's saying something) asked.

"How did I do what, Miss…?"

"I'm Headmistress Olympe Maxime of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and I'm asking how you put your name in the Goblet of Fire."

"I didn't do it." Harry angrily replied. "Somebody did it to cause me some harm. Perhaps it was Dumbledore to force me back to England."

"Harry!" Dumbledore was scandalized. "I'd never do that!"

"That's right, Prongslet." Sirius agreed. "It was probably the work of one or both of the supposedly reformed Death Eaters in this office. Any of them could be trying to get you killed to avenge their fallen Lord."

"You dare accuse me?" Karkaroff asked in outrage.

"He learned from me, Karkaroff." Moody replied, scaring Karkaroff, who went towards Severus Snape for protection. "You dare seek protection from me after trying to sell me off during your plea bargain?"

"I did what I had to do, Severus!" Karkaroff pleaded. "Anything to escape the Dementors."

"I doubt you won't regret your decision once the Dark Lord returns." Snape stoically replied.

"He cannot possibly return, Severus!" Karkaroff desperately pleaded. "He's gone."

"We both know that, for as long as our Dark Marks aren't completely vanished, it's a sign he's not gone for good." Snape replied.

"Please, don't traumatize the boy." Dumbledore asked with his Grandfatherly tone. "Harry already has too much to worry about."

"Come with me, Mr. Potter." Professor McGonagall requested. "I'll guide you to the Gryffindor Common Room."

"Why would I go there, Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked in reply. "I used to be a Slytherin during my brief stint as a Hogwarts student and it's there I want to go."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that, Mr. Potter." She argued.

"Headmaster Dumbledore, were the visiting students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang denied the right to choose which Common Room they'd use?" Harry asked.

"No, Harry." Dumbledore answered.

"Then why would I be denied that?" Harry asked. Unable to find a reason, the others lead Harry to Slytherin Common Room.

**End Chapter.**


	3. The First Task

**Chapter 3: The First Task**

"What brings you to my office, Amelia?" Headmaster Dumbledore asked after Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, entered his office.

"Lord Black reported that somebody forced his godson's entry into the Triwizard Tournament as part of a plot to kill him, Headmaster." Amelia Bones explained. "They demand a complete investigation."

"They who, Amelia?"

"Lord Black, Lord Potter and the Principal of the school Lord Potter was transferred to after leaving Hogwarts." Amelia Bones answered without bothering to mention Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge would have ignored the Principal if not for the heads of two Noble and Most Ancient Families demanding results.

"Amelia, I assure you Sirius is overreacting." Dumbledore replied.

"Do you mean there's no fourteen-year-old wizard as a fourth contestant in a dangerously lethal competition for three entrants that nobody under seventeen was supposed to be allowed in, Headmaster?" Amelia asked in faint hope that was the case.

"Well, Harry Potter is indeed a fourth entrant in the Triwizard Tournament but there's no need for your department to get involved into this, Amelia." Dumbledore assured her. "This is a school matter."

"I disagree, Headmaster." Amelia Bones firmly replied.

"Amelia, I understand you probably feel like your department still owes Sirius Black for the years of wrongful imprisonment but…"

"Don't you dare bring this up, Headmaster." Amelia was having trouble containing her anger. "While Sirius Black's time in Azkaban will probably be a long-standing stain in the Ministry's reputation, it has nothing to do with the fact I saw merit on his complaints." She said. _'It has something to do with that fool Fudge giving in to his demands but there's no need to say that'_ She added as an afterthought. "Someone tampered with the Goblet of Fire to force Harry Potter to enter this tournament and I'll find out who it was even if I have to send the Goblet of Fire to the Department of Mysteries."

Albus Dumbledore was hoping to use this unexpected turn of events to persuade Harry into wanting to transfer back to Hogwarts but it'd be impossible with the Ministry investigating the case. "Anything else, Amelia?"

"Yes." She said without hesitation. "Harry Potter must be warned of the dangers presented by the tasks."

"Amelia, I'm afraid it'd be unfair to the other champions if Harry was warned and they weren't." Dumbledore replied hoping it'd make her give up.

"In that case, warn all of them." She demanded.

"Amelia!" Dumbledore pleaded. "Part of being a Triwizard Champion is being brave enough to face the unknown."

"Consider it another change made to ensure the contestants' safety, Headmaster." Amelia replied and Dumbledore eventually agreed. Harry was called along with the three champions (Cedric Diggory for Hogwarts, Viktor Krum for Durmstrang and Fleur Delacour for Beauxbatons), Sirius Black and the Heads of the visiting schools and Dumbledore told all of them about the First Task's danger. "Dragons?" Harry asked with a mix of shock and anger. "You want us to face dragons? Do you have any idea of how ferocious those beasts are? Especially nesting mothers. I knew this world was barbaric but I never expected that!"

"Are you afraid, little boy?" Fleur arrogantly asked. "You should have thought about that before entering the tournament."

"You insensitive jerk!" Sirius called her out. "Do you really think he wanted to return to this nation?"

"Pardon her, Lord Black." Headmistress Maxime asked him. "Sometimes she doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut."

"Well, this is all." Dumbledore said. "You're dismissed."

"Wait." Amelia asked. "Won't you warn them about the dangers from the two other tasks?"

"One at each time, Amelia." Dumbledore calmly answered. "After the first task, I'll warn them about the second one."

Amelia Bones reluctantly accepted that explanation and the others left. Unbeknownst to them, yellow journalist Rita Skeeter was spying on them. They'd learn a few days later from the Daily Prophet.

**FIRST TASK REVEALED**

_By Rita Skeeter_

_Under the belief the Boy-Who-Lived was forced into the Triwizard Tournament by someone who expects him not to survive, his Godfather Lord Sirius Orion Black ordered a full investigation. Because of that, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Bones ordered Headmaster Albus Dumbledore to reveal to the Champions what the first task consisted of instead of withholding it from them until the task's day as initially planned. The first task consists on retrieving golden eggs from piles of real dragon eggs guarded by mother dragons. Harry Potter, who already considered our world "barbaric" because of his Godfather's wrongful imprisonment, sees this task as a reason to consider it even more barbaric._

Reading that made the students have even more respect for the Triwizard Champions. Even Harry, who spoke against the task and was viewed by some as a cowardly liar for denying he willingly entered the tournament, gained some respect. However, his one worry at the moment was the upcoming potions lesson. Professor Snape was teaching about antidotes and Harry decided to pay attention just in case one of the tasks included something poisonous. The lesson was interrupted by a student informing him his presence was required for the weighing of the wands. He left after Professor Snape dismissed him. At the weighing, Mr. Ollivander, who sold harry his wand, was examining the wands of all contestants. Upon analyzing Viktor Krum's, Ollivander recognized the wandwork of wandmaker Gregorovitch, whose wands were the most sought after by wizards and witches living in the continent before he retired. Krum commented that his wand was one of the last Gregorovitch made before retirement. Ollivander later noticed Fleur Delacour's wand had a veela's hair for a core and Fleur explained it came from her grandmother. Cedric and Harry didn't have to explain anything about their wands since the two wizards bought them from him and Harry was glad Ollivander didn't tell about his wand's core coming from the same bird Voldemort's came. Rita Skeeter intended to take Harry for a private interview using a Quick-Quotes Quill but she knew better than trying anything that would invoke the wrath of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

The only good thing from having to return to Hogwarts was getting to see his friends from when he was a Hogwarts student. Harry was with some of them outside the castle while practicing some spells. "Aren't you worried one of your adversaries sees you, Potter?" Draco Malfoy asked. "They'd try to copy your idea for the tournament."

"My only priority is to survive, Malfoy." Harry explained. "I don't care about details like who wins the tournament."

Meanwhile, Ronald Weasley was spying on them. He still hated Harry for becoming a Slytherin instead of a Gryffindor. "Eat slugs, Po…"

"No attacks from behind!" Moody loudly shouted and then transfigured Ron into a weasel. "Ha! That figures!" Draco said and everybody laughed with him until Professor Snape showed up. "What's this commotion?"

"I'm just teaching this boy a lesson." Moody explained while using magic to bounce Ron the amazing bouncing Weasel around.

"Is that a student?" Snape asked in shock.

"Well, now it's a weasel." Moody laughed at his joke.

"Homenium revelio!" Snape shouted while pointing his wand at the weasel, turning it back into Ron.

"Professor Moody, I thought Headmaster Dumbledore had already told you we don't transfigure students as punishment." Snape told Moody.

"He might have mentioned something about it."

"If you saw him doing something wrong, which I'm sure you did, dock points from his House, give him a detention, do both or let his Head of House decide his punishment." Snape replied.

"You would like to see Gryffindor losing points, wouldn't you, Snape?" Moody retorted. "Anyway, that boy had enough. Now I'm gonna talk to this boy here alone. And don't you dare get in the way, Death Eater." He then took Harry to an isolated room. "Potter, do you have any idea on how to get past your dragon?"

"Why would I tell you?" Harry asked in reply. "You work for a rival school."

"Nice reply, Potter." Moody complimented him. "You're right about not trusting someone you barely know even if you somehow trust Death Eater Snape."

"Snape was the first wizard in Hogwarts who wasn't forcing me to stay in this barbaric world and stay quiet about the injustice my Godfather was suffering back then."

"He only wanted you out of the way so you wouldn't stop the Dark Lord." Moody argued. "Anyway, I'm not here to talk about him. I'm here to talk about the Triwizard Tournament. I'm an Auror first and a teacher second. My priority is to keep you safe from whoever might want you to die in this tournament."

Harry nodded in acceptance. "Potter, remember two facts: you're allowed to use your wand to summon anything you want; and your Godfather probably gave you a flying broomstick."

When the first task's day arrived, the champions entered a tent. A drawing was used to determine the exact order the champions would face their challenge and which dragon each champion would face. To make sure no champion would copy whatever idea the one(s) who faced the challenge before, no champion would be allowed to leave the tent before his/her turn. Harry would be the last to face a dragon and would face the most dangerous of all dragons brought for the challenge. Before Harry's turn, Ludovic Bagman tried to offer Harry advice and seemed more desperate than what could be explained away by Bagman wanting to make sure Harry survived. Harry dismissively told Bagman he already had a plan. When it was Harry's turn, he summoned the Firebolt broomstick Sirius Black gave him and then he outflew the dragon, luring it away from the eggs so he could snatch the golden one. After all champions were graded, Bartemius Crouch explained the details of the second task to them. "Each golden egg contains a clue to the next task. However, since a new safety measure requires us to reveal it anyway, all champions will have one hour to go to the bottom of the Great Lake and rescue a person held dear for each one of them." Crouch them saw the reactions of the champions. "Don't worry. The volunteers won't be under any real risk."

**End Chapter.**


	4. The Yule Ball

**Chapter 4: The Yule Ball**

After Professor Snape mentioned that incident with Moody to Headmaster Dumbledore, Ronald Weasley was called into the Headmaster's office. Hoping Dumbledore would punish Harry and/or Moody for their 'betrayal', Ron confirmed everything Snape already told. Dumbledore's reaction, however, was quite different from expected. "Mr. Weasley, I'm very disappointed with you." Dumbledore scolded him. "The Triwizard Tournament's objective is to promote international cooperation. We can't accomplish that by assaulting visitors. Especially Harry Potter, who didn't even want to be here in the first place."

Ronald grunted in a way that clearly meant _'yeah, right'_ to Dumbledore's last statement.

"It's true, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore insisted. "If not for whatever Voldemort did to force Harry into the Triwizard Tournament, the Boy-Who-Lived wouldn't have returned."

Ronald Weasley was shocked at the mention of Voldemort. Not about the name being mentioned since, like most wizards, he only feared hearing that name coming from people who weren't Albus Dumbledore but because it never occurred to him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could be involved. "Y-You-Know-Who?" He asked in fear. "Inside Hogwarts?"

"Maybe not directly, Mr. Weasley, but I'm sure one of his Death Eaters tampered with the Goblet of Fire to force Harry Potter into the tournament." Dumbledore explained.

"I bet it's Snape!" Ron quickly exclaimed.

"Professor Snape, Mr. Weasley, and I trust he's not the one responsible for that." Dumbledore corrected.

"But he's a Death Eater!" Ron pleaded. "Moody said that."

"Former Death Eater, Ronald."

"Then it's Moody." Ron guessed. "You seem to have bad luck picking them. My first year, a Death Eater; my second year, a fraud whose only talent was tampering with people's memories so they couldn't denounce him for taking credit for their good deeds; my third year…"

"Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore interrupted him. "I didn't bring you to discuss who might be helping Voldemort to kill Harry. I've brought you here to help me to convince Harry to stay in Hogwarts after the Tournament is over."

"What?"

"Mr. Weasley, the greater good depends on Hogwarts depends on Harry Potter staying in Britain to defeat Voldemort for good." Dumbledore replied.

"Why must _he_ be the one to defeat You-Know-Who?" Ron asked while wondering what made Headmaster Dumbledore so determined to have Harry Potter do that. "Sure, he saved us once but _you_ are the only one You-Know-Who fears."

If there was one thing Albus Dumbledore hated to do was telling something to someone he felt wasn't ready (or didn't need) to know, which usually meant anything to anyone, but he felt he had no choice that time. "Back in 1980, a prophecy has been made describing the one with the power to vanquish Voldemort and that was the reason he targeted the Potters."

"He believed Potter was his prophesized vanquisher!" Ron exclaimed.

"Correct, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said with a smile. "That Harry Potter survived that fateful night his parents met their demise only cemented that belief."

"But why couldn't you be the one, Sir?" Ron asked in hopes of not having to convince Harry to stay in Hogwarts.

"Unfortunately, the prophecy speaks of someone born to parents who have thrice defied Voldemort and, as someone older than him, I don't fit." Dumbledore sadly explained.

"My parents were in the Order of the Phoenix, Sir." Ron replied in hopes of becoming famous as the savior of the Wizarding World. "Maybe I could…"

"No, Ronald." Dumbledore sadly replied. "Voldemort's prophesized savior is someone born by the end of July."

"But what could I do, Sir?" Ron asked in confusion. "I didn't exactly give him a good impression either before he left or after he returned."

"Then you'd better apologize." Dumbledore suggested. "And then suggest he takes your sister to the Yule Ball."

Meanwhile, Amelia Bones was questioning Ludovic Bagman. "This is an outrage!" Bagman protested.

"Mr. Bagman, I know you've lost a lot of money with your gambling habits and tried to cheat the goblins by paying them with leprechaun gold." She replied. The problem with leprechaun gold was that it eventually vanished. "You'd better cooperate."

"Okay, Amelia." Bagman said in a defeated tone.

"It's Madam Bones to you, Mr. Bagman." She stated. "Now, Mr. Bagman, did you tamper with the Goblet of Fire's enchantments?"

"No." He answered.

"Did anyone ask you to either do that or leave the Goblet of Fire unguarded?" She asked.

He was about to say 'no' again but then he remembered. "Well, Auror Moody wanted to add special protections to the goblet and didn't want anyone seeing what he did out of fear any of us would undo his work."

"Didn't you find it suspicious?"

"It's 'Mad-Eye' Moody we're talking about, Am… Madam Bones." Bagman dismissively replied. "His paranoia is well known."

"Anybody else?"

"No."

"In that case, did you take any bets on the Triwizard Tournament's outcome?" Amelia asked in hopes it wasn't the case. Bagman's hesitation did nothing for her hopes.

"Y-yes."

Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Harry Potter couldn't believe what he heard. Not only he, as a Triwizard Champion, was expected to bring an escort to the Yule Ball, he learned it from Weasley, who was trying to get him to go with Ginny Weasley. Harry then looked for confirmation from Professor Snape. "Yes, Mr. Potter. That's one of the duties of the Triwizard Champions. I guess people forgot to tell you that in the middle of all this mess."

"Now what do I do?" Harry asked in desperation.

"Just ask somebody to go with you, Potter." Snape said as if it was easy. "Surely your Godfather taught you some tips on what he'd usually do while flirting to girls and you'd know how to do the opposite."

"He only tells me to use my natural Potter charm and make my Dad proud, Sir." Harry replied.

"Yes, that sounds like something Black would say." Snape commented with a frown.

"Can't you help me, Sir?" Harry pleaded.

"Well, I'm not a sociable person but I'll see what I can do." Snape said and then led harry away from his office and to the Slytherin Common Room. "Attention, girls." Snape commanded. "Harry Potter has just learned he must take a girl to the Yule Ball. Any volunteers?" Several girls responded and harry decided to pick the one who showed less enthusiasm. "Congratulations, Miss Bullstrode."

"Is this some sort of joke, Potter?" She asked, refusing to believe she'd be picked among all those others.

"No, I just wanted someone who didn't seem to be more interested on this ball than I am." Harry explained.

"In this case, let's properly introduce ourselves." She suggested. "My name is Millicent Bullstrode."

"And my name is Harry Potter."

**End Chapter.**


	5. The Second Task

**Chapter 5: The Second Task**

Harry had a great time during the Yule Ball. He almost forgot he was forced back to Hogwarts by either Dumbledore or somebody who probably wanted to kill him. However, his only worry after that was how to survive the second task. He needed not only a way to breathe underwater for at least one hour but also a way to keep the underwater magical creatures at bay. He was so focused on his research he almost missed the note an owl brought him from Professor Moody. In the note, Professor Moody told him to study about a plant known as Gillyweed.

Meanwhile, Professor Moody was joining the other faculty members for a staff meeting. He made a point to sit as far away as possible from Professor Snape. "Any new developments from our visitors?" Headmaster Dumbledore asked.

"That cowardly Death Eater Karkaroff is growing even more afraid the Dark Lord will come back and punish him for revealing the identities of other Death Eaters to the Ministry." Moody grunted. "He'll probably leave before the third task. Good riddance, I say."

Before anyone had a chance to reply to Moody's comment, Sirius Black, Amelia Bones and two auror guards showed up. "Sirius? Amelia?" Dumbledore was surprised. "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to interrogate Alastor Moody regarding his involvement with the Triwizard Tournament, Headmaster." Amelia Bones explained.

"Amelia, you can't be suspecting Alastor." Dumbledore calmly replied. "He's…"

"Somebody who's been left alone with the Goblet of Fire." Sirius intervened. "He must be questioned. Is there a place where we can be left alone with him?"

"My office will do." Moody replied and then they went there. "Alastor Moody, did you have enough time to add extra enchantments on the Goblet of Fire without anybody noticing you?" Bones asked.

"No." He said.

"Have you seen any suspicious person inside Hogwarts?" Amelia Bones asked.

"Death Eater Karkaroff, Death Eater Snape and several Slytherin students but Dumbledore says they're all welcome to stay in the castle so I have no choice but to let them roam around." Moody grunted.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Moody." Amelia Bones said and then she, Sirius and the auror guards left and Moody started drinking from his hip flask.

"Where to now?" Sirius asked.

"To Bartemius Crouch's home." She answered.

"Shouldn't he be at his office at the Ministry?" Sirius asked in confusion.

"He's been calling it sick and controlling his Department by sending memos to Percy Weasley." She explained. "I find it too suspicious."

"Probably too ashamed to show his face in public with me around to remind him of one of his greatest blunders as a former head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Sirius suggested with a grunt. "Then again, who am I to pass on a chance to make Crouch look bad?"

One day later, the students were having lunch at the Great Hall when Harry received a package via owl. "A gift from your Godfather, Potter?" Draco Malfoy asked.

"It's something I asked him to send me for the second task, Malfoy." Harry answered.

"Are you sure it's a good thing to reveal it, Potter?" Malfoy asked out of concern. "Your adversaries may get similar ideas."

"I've already told you, Malfoy: my main goal isn't winning." Harry explained. "It's surviving."

Their conversation was interrupted by several Aurors showing up and drawing their wands at Alastor Moody. "Bartemius Crouch Junior, you're under arrest!" Amelia Bones declared. Moody, or Bartemius Crouch Junior as he was just called, tried to draw his wand but an Auror named Kingsley Shacklebolt quickly stunned him.

"Amelia, what's the meaning of this?" Dumbledore understandably asked in shock.

"Headmaster, this man might look like Alastor Moody but he's actually Bartemius Crouch Junior under polyjuice." Amelia explained.

"Impossible!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "If Barty Junior is alive, then whose body was buried at his grave?"

"His mother's." Sirius was the one to answer.

"Sirius, Barty Senior buried his wife at his family's mausoleum." Dumbledore sternly replied.

"He claimed to have done so in a private ceremony where nobody else would need to see it happening to believe it happened." Sirius explained.

"Amelia, you can't possible believe…" Dumbledore pleaded but she interrupted him. "Headmaster, Bartemius Crouch Senior confessed to have helped his son to escape from Azkaban."

It shocked Headmaster Dumbledore but it still didn't ready him for what came later. "Mr. Crouch also stated his son tampered with the Goblet of Fire to force Harry Potter into the Triwizard Tournament as part of a plan to take blood from him and use it in a ritual to return He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to a full corporeal form."

Harry then stood up. "Does that mean I'm free from this barbaric tournament?" He hopefully asked.

"Unfortunately not, Lord Potter." Amelia Bones answered. "The Goblet's magic still binds you to it." She and the aurors then took Crouch Junior into custody.

One day later, Headmaster Dumbledore gave a speech giving more details on the case. "The Prophet will inform more but I feel the need to tell you all first. The mystery regarding the disappearance of Bertha Jorkins has been solved. When she went to Bartemius Crouch's home to deliver him some important documents, she found his presumed dead Death Eater son and he used a badly performed memory charm on her to hide the fact. Later, when she went to Albania for a vacation, Voldemort possessed her body and learned about the Triwizard Tournament and about Barty Junior still being alive. Voldemort is behind Harry's forced entry into the Triwizard Tournament."

After that, nobody accused Harry of cheating his way into the Tournament and everything went smoothly. After the tournament ended, (Krum won if anybody cares about that) Harry packed his stuff and readied himself to return to America. "Harry, my boy, where do you think you're going?" Headmaster Dumbledore asked.

"I made it quite clear from the very beginning I'd only stay here for as long as the tournament forced me and then I'd leave." Harry explained.

"Harry, wouldn't you rather stay here?" Dumbledore tried to persuade Harry.

"That's up to me, Headmaster." Sirius answered as he suddenly appeared. "_I_ am Harry's guardian and it's my duty to decide where he'll get his magical education."

"Sirius, we need Harry here to stop Voldemort for good."

"No, Headmaster." Sirius replied. "_You_ need to find a way to make sure Voldemort will stay vanquished. I won't stop my godson is he intends to help after his coming of age but I'll keep him safe until then. If you want to stop me, you'll have to make up something to keep me wrongfully imprisoned without a trial."

"The only good thing from this was a chance to see my relatives before the third task." Harry added. "Come on, Sirius. We must now leave this barbaric world again."

**THE END**


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